Dandelion Wine Recipe

2024 is shaping to be an excellent year for the dandelion crop. Below is a recipe for dandelion wine I copied from my mother's recipe box many many years ago, but I've no idea of the origin of this recipe: 

Dandelion Wine Recipe

1 quart dandelion blossoms- packed solidly

1 gallon water, boiled for 10 minutes

Add blossoms to water and cook for 10 more minutes. 

After cooking, strain off the blossoms

Add 3 1/2 lbs. sugar to juice and 2 packets of dried yeast

Add about 4 oranges whole and 5 lemons whole

Add 1/2 lb. raisons

Soak one week with raisons. 
Stir well at least once a day while soaking during the 2 weeks.

Divine Breath

The Holy Trinity  

by Corrado Giaquinto, circa 1754

This morning, I was inspired by the homily of our local priest, Fr. 'Tim.' He was referring to the Holy Spirit (Ghost) and the Hebrew term for spirit: breath. Hence, I penned the following: 

Divine Breath

Enter the Holy chamber; kneel before Divinity 

present on the altar in the form of a simple candle.

Surrounded by a feeling of His welcoming Spirit,

a Blessed breath causes one to inhale 

the Cleansing Air of love and forgiveness,

to exhale the chaos of hate and compromise.

Over and over, this choice is made:

to breathe in the Holy Spirit and offer Love and Forgiveness

of His Divine Breath to all of humanity. 

Repentance... Salvation: 

the salve that soothes the wounded soul.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

© Jeanne Iris Lakatos (2024)

Cognitive Revolutions: Creative Revelations

Photo by me, Full Moon over Danbury

Today, the Gospel Reading at Mass was the story of Jesus, meeting His disciples on the Road to Emmaus: Luke 24:13-35. It made me think...

We learn to recognize aspects of our lives that create impressions, unaware of the cognitive variations that our minds and bodies interpret and reinterpret. Yet, we continue to gracefully move through our personal universes. How often have we affected others? How often have others affected us?

Revolution of thought is inclusive of awarenss within the mind, the body and their inter/intra-connections. Very simply, as we perceive and cognitively organize our environment, we slowly create the opus that is only ours to share. To consider this concept in a positive way, that opus can move humanity to a higher consciousness.

Just think! If individuals elevated their thinking to those matters that pertain only to the goodness and creative genius that dwells within, how generous we could be with each other! How marvelous this experience could be!

As we concentrate intently on our thoughts and their influences, we affect our reality, and thus, we open the possibilities of  individual connection with the Divine.

Blinds Open

This was a Poetry Bus prompt with which Karen challenged us:
Write about one of the following:
(1) a time you had to choose between two clearly divergent paths
(2) a time you were called to walk a path you didn't choose for yourself
(3) a time you refused to travel the path you were called to follow.  
I've chosen to write about a situation that caused me to make a decision. It all began with the closing of blinds to shield my eyes from the setting sun. 

Photo from Google Images

Blinds Open 

A blinding

moves her

to close the blind

shielding her

from the intensity.

Outside-

the hour of dusk

palpitates

with a creative verve

releasing brilliance.

Within-

a beam expands

that cannot blind

for memory

sustains the weakest eye.

© Jeanne I. Lakatos

Easter: Renewal

Pysanky eggs that I hand-painted... Whew! a tedious, but rewarding process.

Easter Tridiuum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday)

A Joyous Easter to You!

I took this photograph of a flower growing in the sidewalk on NUI campus, Galway, Ireland.

 Awaken

Awakened

moments, conceived 
meiosis of human spirit,

evolve 

into a vision ~ 

Divine intercession.

A festering wound

bleeds 

to hasten the quickening 
toward conscientious

 Awakening.

         © Jeanne I. Lakatos

Ode to Skunk Cabbage

The first day of Spring has passed, but I just had to submit this little ode to one of the harbingers of Spring, the Skunk Cabbage, as an illustration of the connection between artist and nature. 

photo of skunk cabbage from Google Images

                   

Ode to Skunk Cabbage

Bursting forth from its ruddy milieu,      

it erects from its hooded spathe.

This courageous prophet boldly faces

the chilly air with unique confidence, 

guided by a mighty force.

Radiating silently, as if to say,

“Come to me, for I offer

the nourishment you need now,”

his sweetness within calls upon

the daring creature to receive its warmth.

And she responds, and she comes:

the beetle, the spider, the queen bee,

warmed by the generosity 

of Spring’s first.

Odoriferous, proud, protective,

he inspires the fragrant flora

to engender beauty.

Now, Spring has arrived

with the burgeoning

of the exceptional skunk cabbage.

© Jeanne I. Lakatos

Fiddlehead Feast

Here is a poem that I revised a bit on fiddlehead ferns, another group of plants that are harbingers of Spring. I included a recipe for Fiddlehead Quiche below the poem. Bon appetit!

photo from the front garden at my home

Fiddlehead Feast

Did you happen upon the fiddlehead fern

growing in the woodland mulch,

amidst the other springing buds

like skunk cabbage, crocus and such,

unfurling its primitive merit

with vitality richly designed?

Relentlessly, I search for the fiddlehead fern;

its presence seen, not much,

but then it boldly appears to me,

and I honorably prepare it to touch

my awaiting, salivating palate

that accepts its flavor divine!

What blissful company with which to dine:

this fiddlehead fern ~ a collation so fine!

 © Jeanne I. Lakatos  

YANKEE FIDDLEHEAD PIE (OR QUICHE)

Recipe by L.L. Bean Book of New England Cookery:

Serving Size : 8  

  4 Eggs

  1 c  Milk

  1 c  Fiddleheads, cooked, chopped

  2 Tbs Leeks -- chopped, cooked

  1 Tbs  Parsley, chopped -- or 2

  1 c  Cheddar cheese, mildly shredded

  Salt to taste

  1 Pie crust, partially baked, 9  or 10"

  8 Whole cooked fiddleheads

Beat the eggs with the milk until blended.  Fold in the chopped fiddleheads, leeks, and parsley, and half of the grated cheese. Season with salt to taste. Turn into the partially baked shell and sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Decorate the edge with whole fiddleheads.  Bake in a preheated 350 º oven for 40 minutes, or until set.  Let rest 10 minutes before serving.